Propulsion mechanism for water craft



Nov. 16, 1926. 1,607,058

N. DAVIS PROPULSION MECHANISM FOR WATER CRAFT Filed Mairch 26', 1926 v v ttozwzq UNITE NATHANIEL nAvIs, on

neat

HARBOR GRACE, NEWFOUNDLAND,

f PROPULSION vrncnAnIsM For; WATER calm."

Application filed March 26,.1926f Serial Nth-97,664. V v

This invention relates toimprovements in propulsion mechanismfor watercraft, and more particularly to improvements in the paddle wheel type of such mechanisms.

Heretofore paddle wheels'carried or lifted a great deal of water during the upward travel of the individual paddles or blades, andeven some of the waterthus lifted was carried clear around the Wheel. This retarded the speed of the craft and consequently it required more power than other wise was necessary to revolve the wheel.

. The primary object of the invention is,

1 therefore, to provide a paddle wheelpropulsion mechanism which will prevent the paddles or blades from lifting water.

Furthermore, in the old typeof paddle wheel the blades met thewater substantially broadside, or in a slapping manner, which also tended to waste power. c Therefore, a second important .objectof this invention is toprovide a paddle wheel propulsion mechanism, the paddles or blades of which will cut the water at the commencement' of their stroke, rather than Fslap the 1 waterfi- A p, A third important object of the invention is to provide a device of this class which may be applied to a'high speed motor craft. so

the said-type which may be positioned :in a craft as desired, such as aft or amidships, or in multiple.

A further object is to provide a device of the-class specified which will be simple, durable, eflicient, and inexpensive to produce.

These, together with other objects, may" be attained by the construction, combination 4O hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed.

Referring to the drawing: Figural is a cross-sectional side elevation of a propulsion mechanism constructed in" Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional A fourth object is to provide a device of and arrangement of the parts as will be.

detailed rear elevation of the propulsion unit. w Similarreference characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views. I 7

The invention consists of a propelling unit comprising essentially adrum l2'revolvable within a horizontally disposed cylinder 13 and'provided With a plurality-of spaced parallel longitudinal slots 1 lfand a paddle, wheel l5 journalled withinft'he drum and providedwith: a plurality of equally spaced longitudinal paddles, or

blades 16 extending radially therefrom and adapted to. mesh with and extend through the slots in the drum as "the drum thus' revol'ves the paddle wheel. p a

This unit may be situated centrally of the craft, aft or amidshi-psorat an intermediate point, or in; multiple, or in twin arrangement, as desired; one only being shownonthe drawing as an example. On the-dra-Wingalso is shown a vessel A in outline, as is also shownin dotted; or broken lines a power device B suchas an internal combustion engine for example, and for. 1

convenience in illustration shown in the a drive jshaftC. V V

The cylinder Bis-rigid andmay be secured to the craft? structure in-anylconvenforesection of the vesselA, and as having ientmannenas for example itis shownin thisinstance as. being bolted tothe flooring D of the craft. Thiscylinderfhas a'longitudinal opening in its bottom part registers ingwith atransverse opening in theflooring P D, and the drum 12, which revolves within the cylinder, is exposed through theseopenings which are below the water line when the craft is afloat. y

The paddle wheel 15 is journalled eccentrically within the drum 12, as will be hereinafter described, and the blades-16 are adapted to' engage the slots 14 asthe drum '12 revolves and to extend beyond the walling of the drum during its course of travel past the opening in the cylinder 13. Thus the drum imparts movement to the paddle wheel, and each blade in turnbeing immersed from the time it meshes with and extends through one of said sl0ts,-the craft is pro pelled ahead or astern according to the diits rection of the rotation. It willvhere be noted that each blade as it is immersed cuts.

journalled on a stationary shaft 19 on hangers 20, and these hangers are provided with 7 round horizontal portions 21 Which extend through the coresin' the journals 17. The shaft 19 is madegri id by outer members 22 on the horizontal portions 21, which are see ur ed to a permanent immovable part of .the craft, such as the flooring D for example.

Various transmissionme'an's vmay be employed to transmitpower from the power device B'to the propulsion unit, but as an eiiample there ,is" shown onthe drawing a pinion-Brigid on thejournal- 17 and meshed fy vith'a crown gear 13 rigid on the driveshaft G. "The pinion E is cored to allow the horifzontal portion21 topass through, V

' "There has thus; been described a simple andefi'eetive' device forth'e purpose specified,

and now having fully'disclosedthe nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to bepertormed','what I claim, is

feeeentrically within the drum 1. a propulsion device forwater craft, a horizontally dispesed stationary cylinder "arrangedtransversely"of the craft and hava longitudinal opening registering "with a corresponding opening in the flooring oi the craft, adru'rn' fitted Within the c linder and adapted 'to revolve therein and having a plurality offspa'oed loingitu'dinal slot-sin its annular Walling, "al 'j'addl'e Wheel journalle'd' paddle blades thereof consecutively mesh t'vith'and extend through said slots to the aterduring the travel of the respective slotted portions of the"drun1 between the sides of said openings,'and means for resaid' drum,

Further, no Water so that the 2. In a propulsion device 'for water craft,

a horizontally disposed stationary closed ended cylinder arranged transversly oi the craitt'an'd having a longitudinal opening registeringwith a corresponding opening in the 'iiooring of the craft, a closed ended drum fitted within the cylinder "and adapted to revolve therein and having a plurality of spaced longitudinal slots in its annular Walling, said drum having journals in bearings on the lateral Wallings out the cylinder, means fer revolving said dr'umpand a paddle Wheel journalled 'eco e'ntrically Within" the drum so that the paddle blades consecutively mesh with and extend through said slots to'the Water during the "travel of the respective slotted portions of the drum between the. I

sides Qff said openings.

a horizontally disposed stationary cylinder arranged transversely of the craft and having a longitudinal opening-registering with correspondingopening in the flooring of the craft, a drum fitted Within the cylinder'and adapted torevolve therein and having a plurality of spaced longitudinal slots in its annular walling, said drum having cored journals in'hearings on the lateral wvalli ngs of the cylinder, horizontal inembers extending through said journals, hangers on the inner end parts of said members, a'rshaft connecting thelon er end parts ofthe ers, anchorage members-on the outer end parts or said horizontal members,l.a paddle Wheel journalled on said shaft Within the drum so that 'thepad'dle blades thereof consecutively v I i said slots to the water during the travel of the respective slotted portions of the drum between the sides" of said openings, and

means for revolving said drum.

testimony whereof} have ,aliixed signature. a r 2' I NATHANIEL DAYlSi 8. In a propulsion device for Water craft,

mesh With and extend through 

